UArctic Canada Forum

Thu, Nov 27, 2008

Yukon College is hosting a UArctic Canada Forum from November 26-27, in Whitehorse, Yukon.

UArctic Canada is a network made up of 29 universities, colleges and other organizations that are all UArctic members. UArctic Canada has helped to offer degree programs to Northern students living in regions that do not have a university.

The main purpose of the forum is to discuss the results and implications of a report by Dr. Charles Jago, entitled A Government of Canada Approach Toward A Sustainable University of the Arctic (Canada),published in February, 2008.

This report was commissioned in order to advise the Government of Canada on a strategy to sustain the UArctic (Canada) capacity and activities. Dr. Jago’s report proposed creating a foundation for a distributed university in Canada’s North, with nine recommendations.

In September, 2008, the presidents of Canada's three Territorial Colleges (Yukon College, Aurora College and Nunavut Arctic College) met to discuss the report and it was decided that Yukon College would host this, Canada-wide forum.

In Moving Forward as UArctic (Canada): An Interim Proposal and Discussion, the three Northern colleges stated that they "continue to support the vision of the University of the Arctic and the new concept of UArctic (Canada) as a means to providing greater access for Northerners to higher education and research in the North."

Representatives from UArctic Canada institutions will gather at the College and be welcomed by Patrick Rouble, Minister of Education, for the Yukon and Lars Kullerud, President of UArctic.

Main topics to be discussed at the forum are: UArctic Canada and Canada’s Northern Strategy, the new strategic plan for UArctic in the Canadian context and the status of Canadian Fundraising, and the UArctic proposal, traditional knowledge and the needs of indigenous communities and ACUNS (Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies) and UArctic Canada.

In attendance will be some 30 representatives from the following institutions: ACUNS, Arctic College, Athabasca University, Aurora College, Churchill Northern Studies Centre, INAC, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Memorial University, Northwest Community College, Nunavut Arctic College, Saint Mary's University, UArctic, UNBC, University College of the North, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan, Vancouver Island University, Wilp Wilxlo'oskwhl Nisga'a, and Yukon College.

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a cooperative network of universities, colleges, research institutes and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North. UArctic builds and strengthens collective resources and collaborative infrastructure that enables member institutions to better serve their constituents and their regions. Through cooperation in education, research and outreach we enhance human capacity in the North, promote viable communities and sustainable economies, and forge global partnerships.